Losing a Lover and Gaining His Other
by Firelordawesome123
Summary: Tenzin reflects over his decision in switching from Lin to Pema and wonders how he would react differently if he weren't an airbender. It's just a quick story I wrote, because I haven't wrote on this site in a while. Enjoy and Review please!


He remembers that night so vividly, everything changed so quickly. At times, looking back, he wondered if what he was doing was for the best. Of course it was, he told himself many, _many_ times. But after that night, he was never the same.

The night that he likes to refer to as_ losing a_ _lover but gaining his other_ changed his life forever. It created the existence of future airbenders; that was what was important, right? To have the opportunity to recreate such a race is an honor, he always tells himself. To have such a responsibility for the world is nothing but a privilege brought on to him by the Spirits above him. He should be grateful for his rare powers, and he is, given to him by Avatar Aang, the last of the Airbenders. It could have just of easily been his sister or brother to receive such a special gift, but no, the Spirits chose him for this assignment. He is nothing but grateful.

But still, as he lies beside _his other_, watching her sleep with a loving smile on her face, he can't help but wonder what life would have been like without such a responsibility.

Today marked the anniversary of his switching of partners. _His other_ sees this day as a celebration of new beginnings; _his former lover_ sees this day as the end of all happy endings. Both of them, _his other_ and _his former lover_, he has nothing but deep affection for. He only wished one of them felt the same way for him as she once did when they were children.

Why did he have to be his father's son?

With great honor comes great responsibility. _Reproduction_. He became the bending world's only hope for airbenders after the death of his father. And dating a woman who was very high-ranked in the police force didn't make that easy. So he had a decision: Stay with the woman he loves and cares deeply for, with no airbenders to repopulate the earth... or marry a woman, a young woman, who could give that to him, and the bending world.

He would always say marrying_ her_ was the right thing to do, but whenever he found himself thinking about it, the feeling of regret would always fly around in the back of his head, making him think about his _former lover_ and what could have been. But nonetheless, he would always shake it off and think of his wife and children, convincing himself he had definitely made the right decision in the end. Still, he thought, he _had_ to make this decision. It didn't stop him from loving his wife and children, but from the beginning of his life, he was destined to create airbenders.

Maybe that's why she didn't want to marry him or have children with him; she didn't want that responsibility of being the mother of future airbenders. She _was_ an earthbender and if they did have children, they would have Beifong blood; some might have become earthbenders. And they needed airbenders.

Now in another life where the Fire Nation hadn't destroyed the airbending race and airbenders were alive and well today, maybe he and _his former lover_ would have had a life together. But that just wasn't the case. They both knew that. He admires her strength for not giving in to what the bending world wanted and succeeding in what she wanted.

But no other airbenders existed and it was his duty, his honor, to recreate the airbending race. He would never confess his feelings out loud, but at times he feels regretful for his decision in switching partners. He will love _his former lover_ until the day he dies. He would never say that out loud, of course. He has a great life. A wife who loves him with all her might, his feelings for her is mutual, and four beautiful children that he would die for just for their happiness and safety.

But at times when he looks at _her_, the one he chose over his best friend and lover, he wonders what life would be like if he wasn't an airbender and didn't have to create airbenders. He was sure he would never leave his lover for _a child_, for he would only need Lin to fulfill his happiness. But that wasn't the situation. He didn't have the choice to decide his fate. The Spirits had that all figured out the day he was born.


End file.
